The Fallen One
by Blushing.Violet
Summary: Because what she admired about him, his sense of duty and his will to fulfill it... was what turned around and shattered her. Knouge. DISCONTINUED. Reduced to a oneshot. Replacement coming soon.


~The Fallen One~

His eyes were soft and silent. Cold, but not unsearching. Searching, but not for answers.

For reasons.

The water in her eyes was pure; cold tears on her skin whipped by the dead of night, and the flash of stunning chill that ran up her spine. He was a guardian, and for these and many other reasons it simply would, not, work.

The glare in her eyes was fierce, though still cracked pride and disbelief peered through her crumbling features. He winced at the pain he'd caused her… Never would he have expected for such a strong woman to shatter so easily.

…A soft white rose lay between the two standing figures, as if sleeping upon clouds while it rested, fallen, upon the barren and unforgiving stone.

A faint glow from the large jewel standing behind him echoed onto it, flickering. Tears fell from her ivory face almost satisfying the flower's plea for sympathy; met with ignorance and a hard heart.

Steel heels clacked upon the floor, closer to him.

Defiantly, they stopped mere inches away from the sweet nothings the rose was singing to itself, about innocence and purity and all the things that created a sense of tranquil feeling on the island. From the kisses of the midsummer's breeze, to the ocean's mist that whispered hushed secrets from one wave to the next, never to be told among those who ventured no farther than the white dusted beaches of the shore.

"I'm sorry—"

"I _hate_ you."

The bringer of hope, its velvet petals of sweetness and the assuring scent it gave off, lay mauled by the crushing force of her heel, smashed into the surface of the ground. It seemed to cry out in mercy and forgiveness, stray petals lying scattered and forgotten with vehemence.

Her dark, thin wings outstretched forcefully, as if they were to tear at any more strain. She took to the navy, unsearchable depths of the skies blanketed with delicate little diamonds, each held in place by the velvet of night. They held and told the secrets of all these happenings, a star for each occurrence and a wink for everything they'd never reveal.

_

* * *

_

_She gazed up at the massive island, losing her trail of thoughts in its beauty as she rested upon the cliff. Flecks of glittering silver danced in a ballet; trailing from beneath the island like veils. They seemed alive; sparkling with bright perfection. She refocused her aqua eyes to the object that graced her gentle grip; sullen._

_It didn't sparkle._

_...It seemed almost as lifeless, as she'd felt at the moment. A chill of wind rushed over her, brushing her locks of hair as if they'd detach and spin like leaves at the mercy of the breeze. She gazed off into the darkness below; unpromising, unwelcoming, bitter at the least. Rouge uneasily scooted back a few inches, sniffling as thin tears stained the arm of her glove. She slammed her eyes shut._

_She didn't cry. She never needed to. _

_Government spies _have_ no reason to show such strong emotion; fear of what might befall you and whisk away the work you'd put into things... Or people._

_Soft, cool moonlight shone on her fur, bathing it in a light shade of silver. She reveled in the cold night air as it rocketed into her lungs, invigorating the traces left of her energy. She gathered herself; conscience burning a hole clear through her head about what she might do. She didn't care._

Treasure-hunters_ don't need consciences to question their every motive for them._

_----**&----*----&----**_

_The breeze rippled under her wings, climbing higher and gracefully landing on the weathered stone. Touching her hand up from it, she couldn't help but gaze at the jewel; in its peace. A pair of violet eyes pierced through the tranquility and studied her, with silence. She froze like a startled deer._

_"Don't even try it tonight."_

_"I know," She rolled her eyes, with an airy scoff. Biting her lip, she cast a quick gaze at the eerie shade of grungy green masonry and by the time she looked back up, the echidna was on his feet, directly in front of her._

_"What could you possibly want this time?" Slight venom dripped from his voice. It stung her, a bit. But she'd be far from retreating at this point._

_With each beat her heart inched its way into her trachea, she forced it down with a gentle swallow. Her fingers inched restlessly around the dagger-like barbs of the stem._

_"There's something that, I thought you should probably know, by now." She managed, casually. Her mind continued to speak the words that she'd found to trail off into nowhere._

_No response._

_She gazed up at him briefly, locked on his puzzled eyes for a few moments then shot themselves towards the stone she stood on. His head tilted off to the side, by an inch, or two; folding his arms._

_"So you mean to tell me you've given up your life of thievery for good, and now I can actually _sleep _at night knowing I won't have you sitting around watching the emerald all the time." It started as a question, for the most part; then weaved itself into a twisted form of commandment. Knuckles narrowed his eyes, as if they knew every last secret a person's expressions could betray to him. She chewed the inside of her lip carefully._

_"Right?"_

_Her aqua orbs seemed to glisten with annoyance._

___"_You really think I'd actually waste my time—I don't keep watch over your precious little emerald. It's obviously not going anywhere with you around; Chaos forbid_ I'd try something like that. Knowing how, twitchy you get at night." Her face crinkled with disgust._

_And there was the slip of the tongue, that both of them suspected but neither of them knew when it would strike._

_"...Ah, so you watch _me_ then." A smirk crossed his face, as he sauntered back towards the emerald, head rising towards the air. "I thought so."_

_A warmth cradled her cheeks, but her eyes shot him into a glacial wasteland._

_"Those are some nice stories you tell, by the way." He added, stretching his arms over his head as a few cracks rang out from his joints. About where've you've been and how many times you've slipped under the ever-prying eyes of security. …They're kind of…" He racked his brain for the first thing that hit him, as he rested on the edge of the cenotaph, gazing at the limitless stars._

___"_Neat." 

_Her wide, curious eyes studied him as her head shifted in a single direction. She'd felt a bit awkward; standing ever so stiffly while he leaned back with ease of mind. She subconciously forced herself over towards him, taking a seat about a foot or two away._

___"_I wish I could be free to do whatever, like you are." He smiled, eyes softening. "…But, I'm prisoner to this glorified ol' rock." A fist smashed against it as he stood; leaving an indented scratch from the sharpened barbs on his glove. The echidna sighed.

_"…Which is, the reason why I have to say no."_

_"…You knew?" Indignancy coated her hushed tone._

_Silence._

_"And, you never said anything to me?" She hissed, livid._

_"I didn't want to hurt, you."_

_"Oh, like you'd really care anyway considering all the times I've flown home _battered_ like some, raw piece of meat—"_

_"I'm a guardian, Rouge." He looked at her, sincerely. "It's my sworn duty to protect this thing. If I don't, a lot of chaos is going to ensue. A lot of people could get injured. I—"_

_"You what Knuckles?" She retorted, incensed. "Did you ever think I wasn't always after that slab of rock that you care so much about? Did you ever think that I came here… Just for you?"_

_His eyes shifted from the floor to the tears now resting in hers, solemn._

_"Oh, I forgot. I'm just some, heartless low-life scum-sucking _maggot_, with no _soul, _that's out to destroy the world and all who inhabiti it by taking your God-forsaken rock. Excuse me, Mr. Guardian. I'm _terribly_ sorry for pestering you all this time."_

_"Rouge, I—"_

_"Can it." Her voice leaked a chill that swept over him. That chill blazed into a fire._

_"There's nothing I can do! DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?!" He roared._

_"Oh I understand… " She paused, now standing as her eyes flew over her shoulder to meet his. "If you had to chose,"_

___"_Don't start that—"

___"_If you had _to choose," She repeated, with a slow nod._

___"_Would it be something_, that holds you back… or some_one…_" Her eyes shone. ____"_That could set you free?"

_His silence was answer enough._

* * *

**The beginning of this spilled out all over the screen, and I figured if I was going to update at least make it a decent length. Hope you guys like. EDIT: I think I know where I'm going to take this from here, check out my profile for more info on this story. ;P**


End file.
